Hooker Richard Hibbard joined the Ospreys in 2004 after having played for Swansea. He won a call-up to the Wales squad to tour Argentina in 2006, winning his first two caps on tour.

Hibbard underwent shoulder reconstruction surgery at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, meaning that he only made four appearances for the Ospreys that season. Despite this he was called into the Wales squad to tour Australia in 2007 and was also a member of Gareth Jenkins' preliminary World Cup squad.

Hibbard was called into Warren Gatland's squad for the two-Test series in South Africa in the summer of 2008 before retaining his place for the 2008 autumn internationals, starting against Canada.

The following summer he pulled on the Welsh shirt twice on their tour to North America but an international hiatus until returned to the fold in 2011. Initially as a squad player, Hibbard's influence grew and by the 2013 Six Nations he started four of Wales five matches as they retained the championship. And he was subsequently selected in the British & Irish Lions squad to take on the Wallabies.